The Cincinnati Bengals were a preseason Super Bowl contender but have instead been one of the most disappointing teams of the season. However, after finishing the season with a five-game winning streak, the Bengals improbably have a shot to earn a playoff berth despite their 4-8 start.
What does Cincinnati need to finish its playoff miracle?
What Is the Cincinnati Bengals’ Current Playoff Picture?
Update: The Cincinnati Bengals were officially eliminated from playoff contention when the Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 38-0.
The AFC North was decided earlier today when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns to clinch the division. Then, the Bengals took care of business by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Sunday, the Bengals need the Denver Broncos to lose and the Miami Dolphins to lose or tie to complete their incredible comeback.
Cincinnati won’t win a tie over the Dolphins due to an inferior conference record. They’d win a tiebreaker over the Broncos due to their Week 17 head-to-head win, but Denver sits a game ahead of them in the standings.
Both the Dolphins and Broncos are significant favorites. Denver is playing at home against a Kansas City Chiefs team that will be resting nearly all of its best players. Notable Chiefs listed as out or doubtful on the final injury report included Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Trent McDuffie, Jawaan Taylor, Isiah Pacheco, George Karlaftis, Justin Reid, and Nick Bolton.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins are playing a New York Jets team that has seemingly mailed in the end of their season. The Jets were down 40-0 prior to pulling Aaron Rodgers against the Buffalo Bills last week and they have lost six of their last seven games. Even with Tyler Huntley likely starting for Miami, a Jets win would be shocking.
Entering Week 18, the Bengals were 0-3 on the road against teams above .500 this season, losing to the Ravens, Chargers, and Chiefs. However, they picked a terrific time to turn around that trend and keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Our metrics and win probabilities give the Bengals just an 11.3% chance of landing the final Wild Card spot. However, Cincinnati has consistently overcome small odds to remain in the playoff race to this point.
To simulate the postseason, head over to PFN’s free NFL Playoff Predictor to see how each team can continue onto their path to the Super Bowl.